Flames of the Night
by CrescentMoonXIII
Summary: 17-year-old Sawada Tsunayoshi had changed since his middle school days, but now, something else has come up. Reborn finds the eighth Guardian to join the Family.


**Hey guys!**

 **For now, or at least until I finish my poor other stories, will remain a oneshot. Why, you ask? Because I fail as an author. T_T**

 **Anyways, Tsuna is about 17 years old here, meaning he's almost about to graduate, but he hasn't replaced Timoteo yet, so yeah.**

 **IMPORTANT ASF:**

 **So, the way I wrote this story is probably more difficult to read...? That's because each paragraph is formatted to fit a third person view based on a character's thoughts, but I did NOT specify who the third person is. Sometimes it would be me (the author), or a character in the story.**

* * *

It was quite the ordinary day in Namimori, meaning that Hibari's biting people to death, and Ryohei is probably out running while screaming "EXTREME!" But there was still one thing missing, and the answer lies within the Sawada household. Sawada Tsunayoshi wasn't woken up by the regular gunshot or a certain pink grenade.

Naturally, with the ungodly Vongola Intuition he has, he woke up on time without all the noise. His first thought when he woke up was "where is Reborn?" He went downstairs to check, only to be greeted by his mother.

"Is this a dream? Where is Reborn?" Tsuna became concerned, with reason. If there was one thing he learned, Reborn _loved_ torturing his favorite student.

"Ah? Tsu-kun! You're up right on time. That's rare for you." His mother smiled at him and had just put some eggs and bacon on a plate. "Here. Breakfast is ready."

"Oh. Y-yeah." He sat down on the stool, and began to eat slowly. He began to ponder what could've happened.

 _'Could he have been hit with the Ten Year Bazooka again?! No, no, no. He probably would've been back already... Then could he have been kidnapped?! No. Reborn is the strongest hitman in the world... Then did something come up again?'_

To Tsuna, that seemed like the most plausible idea. He had no idea what might happen after the Arcobaleno battle royale, but he hoped it wouldn't be as stressful or dangerous as that. Of course, it was at this time that the Vongola Intuition had decided to kick in. It told him that the near future would bring more dread.

* * *

It wasn't until about lunchtime on the roof (with his regular two friends) of Nami-high that Reborn would drop-kick into Tsuna's head.

"Ow! Reborn! What was that for?! No, don't answer that. Instead, tell me where you have been all this time!" Tsuna shouted in a Dame-Tsuna way.

"Oh? Is the Dame-Tsuna ordering me around? How bold." Reborn tipped his fedora down to hide his smirk.

A laughter interrupted the two. "Hey, kid! It's been a while. You look bigger, now!" Yamamoto had his hands rested behind his head. Since the curse was broken, the Arcobaleno had grown 4 inches (or about 20 centimeters), also meaning that his drop-kicks hurt more, and he looked more intimidating.

 _'Nice save,'_ Tsuna thought.

"Well, yes, but very slowly." Reborn commented. "Also, you must be wondering where I have been, Tsuna."

Tsuna also noted that his voice had lost its infant-like pitch.

"That's right," Tsuna complained, "where were you, Reborn?!" It was obvious that he had momentarily forgotten.

"I don't know!" he replied in a singsong voice, parallel to the one he uses to tease Tsuna.

"HOW COULD YOU NOT KNOW?!" Tsuna pulled at his hair in frustration.

"If I say I don't know, I don't know, Dame-Tsuna!" Reborn said, then he Taekwondo-flipped him by the wrist.

"ITTAI!"

* * *

"Now, can anyone tell me the answer to this equation?" the teacher rambled.

Tsuna's head was still in the clouds, wondering what Reborn was trying to keep from him.

"Sawada. Can you answer this question," the teacher asked. At least he was more polite and patient compared to Old Man Nezu.

"Hai." He went up to the board and gave it a once over before answering it step by step. The teacher looked at it once Tsuna was finished.

"Good try, but it was wrong. Don't be too hard on yourself. Please return to your seat." Tsuna nodded and did so, looking back at the board, curious to see what he had done wrong. It's not everyday this happens. In fact, he is the second highest-scoring student in the class, next to Gokudera, of course. "So, here. The fraction is not completely reciprocated: there is supposed to be a negative here..."

"Jyuudaime. What's wrong? You seen very withdrawn." Tuna knew that Gokudera had seen the careless mistake he never would have made.

"Nothing, Hayato. It's just that Reborn is hiding things from me again. It's weird, don't you think?" Tsuna whispered back.

The way the seats had been arranged was that Gokudera sat to the right of him, while he had the second-to-last window seat, and Yamamoto sat right behind Tsuna (a good place to sleep, might I add).

"Is your tuition telling you the same," Gokudera asked.

Tsuna nodded.

"Then I trust your judgement. How do you plan on figuring out what he's hiding from you?"

"I think the best way to do that is wait. It shouldn't be long until we know the truth. It seems really big, this time. I don't know why..." Tsuna pondered. There was a really uncomfortable feeling in his stomach and it told him that his peaceful days will be cut short... _again_.

* * *

Tsuna went home with the four-year-old Reborn, as well as his left and right-hand men after a long meeting in the Disciplinary Committee office. It was night now and the little bastard still haven't told them what he did when he was gone that morning. Tsuna sighed. He'll have to find out when the time comes.

It was then that Tsuna bumped into a girl. They hadn't crashed hard, but the girl somehow ended up on the floor. Panic welled up within him. He was worried that he might've harmed her.

"Are you okay?!" He kneeled and offered his hand. She took it hesitantly.

Her midnight hair covered her face, and when she looked up, her clear silver eyes pierced through the night and focused themselves on him. They were wide with surprise. Both of their expressions mirrored each other. They didn't know how long their eyes had locked, but it had to be a while since Gokudera uncouthly cleared his throat at them. Tsuna was slightly pink, but the girl was still staring at him with those wide, curious and innocent eyes.

"Anyways, I'm sorry... again... for that," he said awkwardly. She stayed silent and observant. Tsuna inadvertently let out a nervous laughter. "Hi... My name is Tsunayoshi Sawada, but people call me Tsuna. What is yours?"

The girl jolted out of her mindless gaze to focus on the boy— no, _man_ — in front of her, as if recognizing him. "Yozora, Kokuto," she uttered. It wasn't too loud, but it was loud enough for Tsuna to hear. Her voice sounded like the solitary jingling of a bell. It was quiet, but piercing, demanding ever bit you you attention as she spoke. It was also fragile and small, but most of all, it was music to Tsuna's ears.

"Night skies in a black winter makes the brightest of nights." Tsuna quoted from an old poem. Reborn rose a single eyebrow in interest as he wondered how his no-good student would know this.

"How do you know that poem?" Her voice was just above a whisper.

"I heard it before. It might seem weird, but it came to me in my dream." He smiled a little before scratching his head a little, just waiting to be called "weird" or "creepy". That would be the normal response.

"Then you must be him..." She caught herself before saying anything more. "I am truly sorry, but I must take my leave, now." She did a quick bow and walked in the opposite direction she was previously running.

"Hey, wait up—" He blinked, but she was already gone.

* * *

The next morning, Tsuna got up and completed his daily routine. He looked in the mirror and saw that his eyes were slightly red and he had slightly baggy eyes. Luckily, they weren't too noticeable, but Hayato and Takeshi would definitely notice. They were always such worrywarts. The trio walked to school as per usual and sat down in their seat. All of a sudden, their classmates burst into the room.

"TRANSFER STUDENT! THERE'S A TRANSFER STUDENT IN THE STAFF ROOM!"

That was when the murmuring started.

"A transfer student?"

"In the middle of the year?"

"Must be trouble—"

"Girl or a boy?"

"Dunno..."

"Is he hot?"

"Do you think she'll be pretty, assuming it's a girl and all..."

Hayato stepped up to his boss and leaned down to his ear.

"Who do you think it is, " he asked.

"What do you mean?" Tsuna looked up at his friend. Of course he had felt a tug from his Hyper Intuition when he had heard about the transfer student, but it didn't seem much of a threat.

"Jyuudaime. With all due respect, there wouldn't be a transfer student in the middle of the year unless it was the Mafia," Gokudera speculated. Tsuna thought about it for a moment before realizing that he was right. Many of the past transfer students that were admitted into school at strange times were from the Mafia, trying to spy on the next Vongola successor. It wouldn't be a surprise if this one was the same.

"Let's just see before jumping to conclusions. I have a feeling that this person will not be a threat. Thanks for the warning, Hayato." Tsuna gave a small smile to his right-hand man.

The student chattered amongst themselves before the bell rang. The homeroom teacher walked in lazily before reaching the podium.

"Okay, class, now listen up. We have a new transfer student coming in today. I know this is rare, but please save the questions for last—"

"SENSEI! IS THE TRANSFER STUDENT A GIRL?!"

"What did I tell, you, stupid pupil?!" The teacher scolded the student harshly before moving on. "You may come in now, miss transfer student."

Upon those words, the door opened quite noisily due to the lack of maintenance. A girl in a Namimori High uniform (a navy blue blazer/skirt with gold buttons, a beige vest, a long-sleeved dress shirt underneath, and a red bow. The black thigh-high stockings and inside-shoes we're on as well. Everything was worn perfectly and the school law dictates (Compliments of Hibari-dono, of course).

The only thing not according to the school's laws were the frilly garters on her thighs. The laces were white and lacy, as the band was a black leather material. On the outsides (though a bit towards the front) of the garters were small silver monarch butterflies attached to the outsides of them. The welding of the silver butterflies were so intricate, they looked like they could be real. There were also violet, serpentine tendrils coming from the metal-work. All-in-all, it was an impressive piece.

She cat-walked in and the class's attention was focused on her, especially Tsuna and his friends. She stood front and center in next to the teacher.

"Okay, now please write your name on the board and introduce yourself," the teacher instructed.

On the board, she wrote "夜空，黒冬".

"What is that," the same male student blurted out. "Yoten, Kofuyu? What a stupid name!"

"Excuse me, Takuto-san, but that happens to be read 'Yozora, Kokuto'. It is in kanji, and it is a very nice name. 'A man who insults the woman should always be punished, for she, in the night skies in a black winter makes the brightest of nights.'"

"What the hell is that supposed to mean, Dame-Tsuna?! Stop trying to look cool!"

"I'm acting cool? Unfortunately, Takuto-san, I had no intention of doing so. I simply could not overlook your behavior towards our new classmate."

Tsuna's voice was calm and steady with not much trace of emotion. Reborn hadn't taught him how to control his emotions much, but he had taught him how to control his dying will output. It seems as if that particular training came in particularly handy in these types of situations.

"Okay, you two. Tone down the testosterone levels. Anyways, please continue, Yozora-kun." The teacher looked to the girl. He noticed her face was blank and she didn't show much emotion, if any at all. The teacher shrugged it off. It didn't matter to him in any case.

"Yozora, Kokuto. Sixteen. Previous residency: Tokyo," she said as if recited from a script. The students were awed by her speech. No one ever spoke that way, as far as they knew of. Maybe it was just a Tokyo thing.

The questions began:

Why do you speak like that?

Do you speak a different language?

How do you keep your skin so soft?

Your hair is the softest!

Your eyes are so pretty!

Where are you from?

Can I be your friend?!

...

The other questions didn't bother her at all. But one particular question stroke her as odd.

"Are you from the Mafia?"

The speaker was standing a far way off. Nearly on the other side of the classroom.

Gokudera Hayato. Hurricane Bomber Hayato. Right-hand man to the Vongola Decimo.

She smiled at him, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. Hayato glared even more intensely at her. She must be Mafia, but there wasn't an intent to kill coming from her. In fact, it seemed more benign rather than harmful. Even so, there was a dangerous vibe she was exuding. Hayato learned the hard way that you can never be too careful.

"Class... SHUT UP!" The teacher was so done with this shit. He couldn't take it when kids flip shit about a new transfer student. It was only another person, after all. "Now please, return to your goddamn seats, before I sent all of you to the principal's office! Got it?!"

The students scrambled to get in their seats. The once emotionless girl suddenly showed a smile. Of course, it was more sarcastic than anything, but the male population didn't know that. They almost had nosebleeds. Except for Tsuna, Hayato, and Takeshi. They we're too badass for that. Well, the teacher didn't either, but let's not step into _that_ realm right now.

"Anyways, Yozora-kun, please take that seat in the back next to Sawada. Sawada, please raise your hand."

"Thank you," the transfer student said, quietly. She walked to the back of the class and sat down in the empty seat next to Tsuna.

"Hey. I suppose we do get to meet again," Tsuna said, optimistically. He scratched his cheek in embarrassment.

"Yes. I suppose we did," she responded politely. Tsuna sweatdropped at her unusually cold character.

"Well, anyways... would you like to hang out with us during lunch?"

"I enjoy being alone."

"Just this once," Tsuna pleaded. He wanted to get to know her. She seemed pretty lonely, but not only that, she was interesting.

"Very well. If you are so willing, I will comply," she sighed. Tsuna did a victory dance in his mind when he heard that. Hayato, however was a little more worried compared to his boss.

* * *

It was lunch time, of course (because it's _always_ lunch in Namimori for some reason). Yamamoto, Gokudera, and Tsuna hung out in their regular spot, but this time with the company of Kokuto.

"Who are you," Gokudera asked, none too kindly. "Who sent you?"

"Hayato," Tsuna reprimanded. Through the years, Tsuna began to adapt to his right-hand's fierce nature, making it easier to talk with him without being scared. "I doubt she's part of this. You're overreacting."

"That's right! Don't be so harsh on the girl," Takeshi laughed. But the transfer student went on to introduce herself anyways.

"My name is Yozora, Kokuto. I am currently a student at Namimori—"

"You see? She isn't part of this—"

"And I was sent by the Arcobaleno, Reborn." They all stared at her like she just grew an extra head.

"REBORN DID?!" Tsuna was shocked. Not just shocked, seriously fucked up! Reborn sent a hitman on him?!

"Yes."

"Why would he do that," Gokudera asked, barely keeping his anger in. He was pissed at the fact that the woman in front of him was making lies about their most trusted colleague.

"He wouldn't," Tsuna said. "At least, not to kill me. Right?"

"He requested me to become a guardian of the Vongola Decimo." She pulled up her skirt the slightest bit and revealed to them the items strapped in her thighs.

"What is that?" Gokudera was taken aback when he inspected it closely, not minding that her skirt was so high. He was molested by Shittoppi-chan once anyways, so it didn't really matter to him.

The others jaws dropped as well. It was finally clear to them what she was there for.

She was their Guardian of the Night Flame.

"So you finally figured it out," a childish voice said. It was like the voice of God, since it seemed to have not been coming from anywhere.

"Reborn?!" Tsuna looked for the disembodied voice, but to no avail.

"Over here, Dame-Tsuna!" The toddler parachuted from the sky with a big, over-sized Leon-megaphone in his hand. When he tossed the parachute midair, he proceeded to drop-kick Tsuna in the face again.

Tsuna happened to dodge it last second. "What the Hell was that for?!"

"You had your guard down, of course. Thanks to _my_ training, you dodged it," Reborn replied casually.

"Reborn-sama," Kokuto acknowledged. "I am pleased to make your acquaintance once again."

"Same here, Kokuto-chan." Reborn walked towards her, and set his hands on hers. "How are they?"

"They have not changed since the last time we met," she replied in a tiny voice. Her head was down, with her face covered by her hair. Her fists slowly clenched. Reborn looked up at her. She was still slightly depressed, but she wasn't crying.

"You're here now, Kokuto. There is no reason to fear." Reborn looked up and saw her eyes watering, but she had a small smile on her face. "You have people who need you now," Reborn chided sternly. "You must protect them, and in turn, they will protect you."

"Thank you, Reborn-sama. I will not for get your kindness," she uttered. He put his hand on her cheek, then looked back toward the small, confused crowd—

Did someone say crowd? (Cue badass piano riff)

"You people. What are you doing up here." It wasn't even a question, it was a demand.

"Well, Hibari—" Tsuna started, but was promptly cut off.

"Child. Who is this girl?"

"She is your new transfer student. You will do well to treat her as your family," Reborn ordered with a smirk on his face, which only provoked the Cloud Guardian.

"Ho~? Since when were you allowed to order me around?" Hibari took out his tonfas.

"I wouldn't engage in battle on your precious school, Hibari."

"Wait, everyone, please calm down!" Tsuna was in distress, now bit it was overlooked.

"You bastard! Listen to your boss!"

"Come on, everyone. Can't we all just get along?" Yamamoto let out a laid-back chuckle.

"I will bite all of you to death for crowding around the school roof."

The air was tense with anticipation. Even Kokuto was now on her feet.

"Kokuto." Reborn looked at her. Sterling silver eyes met steely grey ones.

"Please do not fight. I will be compelled to stop it," she said monotonously.

"What did you say to me?" Kyoya was not happy about the fact that he was being challenged.

"Stop," Kokuto demanded. Kyoya did not take well to it.

"For crowding on the roof, as well as inappropriate accessories, I shall bite you to death."

He attacked her with his tonfas, but she just dodged them, moving side to side. He released his chains and did a quick whip at her face. She dropped to the ground, and swept her leg to trip him. He jumped back, and dodged it easily, but Kokuto had recovered quickly from the last attack. She in a matter of milliseconds, she had already launched herself up and performed a tornado kick.

Within that split second, Kyoya saw her eyes. They glowed brightly, and they would have been beautiful if it weren't for the malice and intent to kill behind them. Kyoya barely dodged the kick, but just barely. By now, he figured that the new transfer student was no pushover. He began to step up his game.

Thus, the fight ended up in a stalemate. Of course Kyoya had his tonfas, but Kokuto had her bare fists and legs.

"Now, Hibari. This is your new teammate. She us now part of your famiglia," Reborn announced, smiling at Kyoya's defeat. He grunted softly before smirking at the new kid.

"Don't be late, or else I'll bite you to death." He exited (jumped off) the roof with the fluttering of his uniform. She bowed politely.

"Kokuto, how did you do that," Tsuna asked.

"That was amazing," Yamamoto exclaimed as Gokudera just grunted in grudging acknowledgement.

"What do you mean?"

"How did you keep up with Hibari like that? Especially without any weapons?" He was really curious. Not just anyone could keep up with one of his strongest guardians.

"I have gone through a lot of training with my previous master," she replied with a sad smile. Reborn saw this and promptly intervened.

"He biggest strength is her speed and stamina. This is why she won against Hibari. She was simply faster and stronger than he." Tsuna felt something wrong with the way reborn cut in like that, as if he was hiding something again. "You have already seen her Vongola Gear. It is authentic."

"What you're saying is that she is a strong asset if I allow her into my familglia." Tsuna sighed. Reborn and Kokuto looked at him intently. "I won't allow it."

"Tsuna." Reborn said sternly. Kokuto only looked at him in shock. She heard that the Vongola Decimo was a kindhearted person who thinks of everyone as an ally.

"I won't put her in danger. If she does join my famiglia, her life will be in constant danger. She doesn't deserve that life." And he was serious this, this time. He likes her, and she is a friend to him. He wouldn't jeopardize her safety.

"Vongola Decimo." Tsuna looked to the girl who had spoken. "If you will not accept me into your famiglia, then I will have no other choice than to return to where I came from."

"Where you came from? You mean your home?"

"Non. It's far from what you would call a 'home'," Kokuto replied. She tried to keep a straight face. Vongola Intuition should not be underestimated.

"Very well, Yozora, Kokuto. Your admittance into my famiglia is accepted," he said with a bright smile. "Welcome to the ranks of the Vongola Guardians."

"Thank you. I shall try to live to your expectations." She bowed deeply.

"Then you can start by calling me by my first name." Kokuto sat upright and looked at him, incredulously.

"If that is what you wish... Tsuna... sama?"

"Just Tsuna is fine." He was still smiling. It was definitely an odd experience, especially since she was raised around disapproving stares and other's disappointment towards her.

"If that is the case, then you may decide what you wish to call me." This time, she addressed the rest of the group.

Yamamoto was the first to speak up. "Then I'll call you Ko-chan!"

"You better not hold us back, woman," Gokudera growled.

"Don't mind him, Kokuto. He's like that to everyone."

She only nodded in response.

"Now that the introductions are out of the way, you should get to class before I make you." Reborn fired shots into the sky as the trio we're sent running. Kokuto only looked that the toddler.

"You should get to class, too, Kokuto. The bell had already rung."

Once again, she nodded and walked off. When she reached the door, she looked back at the Arcobaleno.

"Thank you. Arcobaleno, Reborn."

* * *

The entire class was shocked to silence. The new girl was solving every problem the teacher asked her to do on the board. The questions he had asked of her were high-level questions that included calculus, trigonometry, and even basic quantam physics. How did the TEACHER even know these things?!

"Return to your seat, student. Know your place!"

The teacher had just suffered humiliation beyond compare. The student had been smarter than the teacher! There weren't even any mistakes!

"Yes, sir."

She did as told by the teacher with eyes still following her. Even the Vongolas'. She was now the smartest person in class, if not the entire school. This also meant that Tsuna is third in the class.

The bell rang conveniently right when the teacher was finished with the class.

"You were great up there," Tsuna complimented.

"Thank you, Tsuna," she replied with a smile.

The class looked at the exchange. The men were green with envy for the loss of their cute classmate, and the girls jealous of their quick relationship, oblivious to the truth.

"It's no problem," he replied with the same smile.

He was happy that she was finally opening up to him a little.

"Say," he cut in as she was packing her things, "would you like to meet the rest of the guardians?"

"The Vongola Guardians?"

She honestly already thought about when she'd have the opportunity to finally meet the people that beat her familglia.

"Yes. That would be nice."

"Well, as you probably know, my seven guardians are Gokudera Hayato as my Storm, Yamamoto Takeshi as my Rain, Sasagawa Ryohei as my sun, Bovino Lambo as my Lightning, Chrome Dokuro and Rokudo Mukuro as my two Mists, and Hibari Kyoya as my Cloud."

"Yes," she responded affirmatively. She knew all this, but she had only snuck glances at their profiles.

"You have already met my Rain, Storm, and Cloud Guardians, so would you like to meet my other guardians?"

Tsuna had doubts about his decision, but might as well. She was so adamant about it in the beginning.

"Yes." However stubborn Tsuna was about her joining the Vongola Famiglia, she would prove that she could become a Vongola Guardian.

* * *

The first stop is the rundown boxing room they had at school. It was a pretty small club, but since the school authorities feared Kyoya, and Kyoya was the one who allowed the boxing room to stay there was nothing to be done.

"ONII-SAN! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

Tsuna shouted with all his strength. He knew that the loud person would need a loud voice to call for his attention. Moreover, it startled Kokuto to know that the boy had such a loud voice.

"SAWADA! HOW EXTREME! WHAT BRINGS YOU HERE?!" The loud boy came running towards them from the back room.

"We have a new family member," Tsuna claimed, motioning towards the quiet girl next to him. She didn't look shy or nervous at all, unlike everyone else who met the caricatural boxer. On the contrary, she looked at the upmost calm, as she always were.

"EXTREME! JOIN THE BOXING CLUB!"

Ryohei really didn't care who joined the boxing club as long as he saw potential. He noticed that this girl was extremely strong by the way she carried herself. The air around her was a little bit dangerous, but her innocent face nearly smothered that charisma.

"That won't be necessary, but thank you for the offer." She smiled up at him.

The boy was at least a head taller than her. Tsuna, she noticed for the first time, was a bit more than a head taller. He wasn't supposed to be that tall. She looked into his file, and it said that he was pretty damn short, in all honestly.

"WHAT?! YOU SHOULD!"

"Oh, no."

"I CHALLENGE YOU TO A BOXING MATCH!"

"I knew this would happen," Tsuna muttered. "Onii-san, she's a girl. She doesn't know how to box—"

"I accept your challenge."

Kokuto bowed politely before picking up a magically, conveniently placed pair of boxing gloves. Ryohei jumped into the ring enthusiastically, whereas Kokuto did so calmly.

"What are the rules," she asked.

"SAWADA!"

"Okay," he sighed. "The rules are as followed: no dirty moves, and ONLY boxing can be used. That means no kicking, or elbowing. The one with the first knockout wins."

"That is fine. Let us begin," Kokuto stated.

"Okay. Ready... START!"

Tsuna swung his arm in a downwoard motion, signaling the start of the match. The two fighters immediately got into position. They danced around each other before Ryohei did a quick jab to test her. She dodged and came in with a left hook. He knocked the hand away easily before tossing a punch at her head. She pivoted out and around the punch before landing a quick one on Ryohei's open side.

"EXTREME HIT!" Ryohei roared at Kokuto.

"Thank you." She did a perfect bow.

They reset their positions and started again, except this time, Ryohei wasn't smiling. He started jumping around on the balls of his feet.

Muay Thai?

Kokuto didn't understand the sudden switch he had made, but put her guard up anyways. According to his file, he only fought with boxing...

Ryohei performed a quick jab. Then another. Then another. All in rapid succession. Kokuto had a hard time playing defence with the strife of hits coming towards her. Her skin burned a bit.

It was the sudden activation of Sun Flames.

She finally realized what was going on. She pivoted away from the flurry of punches and activated her flames. Tsuna felt the strange force coming from her and finally understood where she had come from.

He had only ever felt this once. He had hoped he would never encounter it again, but there it was.

Kokuto moved faster and faster, weaving and bobbing away from Ryohei's powerful attacks. She finally landed a simple right hook to his face. It was a quick one and, unfortunately, reduced in power.

Still, Ryohei reeled in surprise. He finally took a good look at the girl he was fighting. She was breathing hard and dripping with sweat. Boxing was obviously not her strong suit. He smirked (sexily, might I add) at her and stood upright, no longer in his boxing position. She blinked in surprise and looked toward Tsuna. He was just as confused...

"Umm... Onii-san? Whats wrong?"

Tsuna was tentative when asking.

"Nothing, Sawada. Its obvious who the real winner is here," he said... Said? He wasn't shouting! "She had endured all my strikes, and even kept up with me, when it wasn't her fighting style in the first place."

"How did you know?" Kokuto spoke out.

"Your movements. You we're light on your feet, and you danced around. Your hits weren't too powerful, but that was because you never really trained them too much for boxing movements, did you?"

The girl shook her head. "I have had to use them to propelled my body forward and sustain my weight, but I have never used them for purposes such as boxing. Boxing uses pure arm strength and acceleration, but I depend on the distribution of my weight."

"EXTREME! WHAT'S YOUR NAME!?" Ryohei reverted back to his enthusiastic self.

"Yozora, Kokuto. It is a pleasure to meet you." She removed her boxing glove and stuck it out for a handshake. Ryohei took her hand and pumped it in the air.

"YOZORA!" He shouted her name with gusto and lifted her unintentionally. She let out an accidental 'eep' that sounded just ADORABLE (all 'eep's are adorable. Especially from a quiet person).

"H-hai?!" She squeaked.

"Ahh! Onii-san! Please put her down!"

* * *

Tsuna let out a sigh.

"I'm sorry about your arm. I didn't know that he would be so excited." Tsuna apologized.

"It was not a problem. I believe his enthusiasm is paralleled to the qualities of a Sun Guardian," Kokuto stated. "Where is our next destination?"

"Kokuyoland. It's where my Mist Guardians are." He smiled brightly.

"Oh. This may be quite interesting," she muttered.

"Why?"

"I believe your Mist Guardian, Rokudo Mukuro despises me because of my Flame attribute."

"He won't hate you. You're different from the rest of them, right?"

Kokuto nodded affirmatively.

"Then you should be quite alright."

Tsuna released his deadly bright smile. It made him look _hot_.

Twenty minutes of walking later, they had finally reached the front gates of the rundown amusement park. It took another five minutes to reach the front of their dwelling (the area where Tsuna defeated Birds and Lanchia).

"What are you doing here, byon!" A shadow revealed itself to the two Guardians. He had spikey, platinum hair and a scar going across his face.

"Ken. Calm down. It's the Vongola Decimo." A monotone voice interceded, and another shadow revealed itself. This one had short, straight, black hair and red-rimmed glasses. On his face was a barcode branded into his skin.

"I know that, Kakipi!" The one called Ken flipped.

"Good evening, Ken. Chikusa," Tsuna spoke politely.

"Mukuro is inside. He's still weak," Chikusa monotoned.

"Hai. Thanks, guys."

Tsuna stepped forward before being once-again stopped.

"Don't act so chummy, Decimo! By the way, who's that woman?" Ken pointed to Kokuto.

"A friend," Tsuna clipped.

"HAH?! A friend?!" Ken sounded indignant.

"Ken. It's Decimo. We can trust him." Chikusa interrupted Ken again.

"Hmph! Fine, Kakipi. But is she hurts Mukuro in any way, the blame falls on us."

"I know. Please, continue, Decimo."

Tsuna smiled and said his thanks before walking towards the theater room, where Mukuro would undoubtedly be. The two stared down the suspicious new girl Decimo had brought with him. The girl in question glared at the two boys, not enjoying the unwelcome looks they were sending her. Ken scowled back at her, but stopped once Chikusa's hand rested on his shoulder.

A minute later after navigating through the labyrinthine walls, they had finally made it to the worn out theatre room. On the stage, in front of the dusty red curtains was an equally old red couch with painted, gold wooden frames.

"I'm surprised you came here on your own, Tsunayoshi-kun." The man lazily draped face-up on the couch spoke.

"I'm not on my own, Mukuro." Tsuna stepped aside to reveal the girl who erased her presence. Mukuro glared at the girl. She wasn't hunched over, as if afraid, but in fact, her head was up with pride and grace.

"KUAHAHAHAHA! Tsunayoshi-kun! You brought me a present!" Mukuro threw his head back , then stood from the couch to get a better look at her. "What's your name, little one," he nearly demanded.

"Yozora, Kokuto," the dignant girl claimed. Mukuro chuckled, ominously, as he stalked towards her.

"Dark skies in a black winter makes the brightest of nights. Is that so," he purred.

"She's our newest famiglia member." Tsuna wanted to put it out there, before Mukuro did anything drastic.

"So she's off limits, huh? What a shame." Mukuro grabbed her face and took a good look at her face. "You would make a useful puppet. I hate Vindice with a fiery passion."

"Vindice?" Tsuna's eyes narrowed at the taboo subject.

Mukuro let her go with a flair. Kokuto didn't react at all.

"So what is it that you want, Kokuto-chan? Money," he asked, blanketing the entire room with drachmas and restored the entire room to it's former glory.

"Fame?" The coins moved and took the form of many well-dresses people.

"Power?" The clothes she had on turned into an elaborate, beautiful dress with a from placed on her head. The well-dressed people, now gave her their full attention and bowed as they would the Queen of England.

"Mukuro," Tsuna warned. He heeded not, and chuckled as Kokuto glared him.

"None of these things are of what I seek," the girl declared boldly.

"Then what, pray tell, are you searching for?" Mukuro took his seat on his couch, crossed his legs, and put a knuckle to his chin.

"Sanctuary," the girl retorted. Mukuro narrowed his eyes.

" _Sanctuary_? You require _sanctuary_? From whom might you be fleeing from?" Mukuro scoffed at the strange girl. She was from the strongest famiglia in the world, yet she still needed sanctuary.

"The Vindice," she uttered. Mukuro's eyes widened in realization as the answer became clear to him.

He laughed loudly, almost comically.

"YOU ARE—! KUAHAHAHAHA!"

"May I ask you to please not divulge this information to others?" She bowed politely, and it only made Mukuro laugh harder.

"Then may I ask what you would offer in return," Mukuro questioned.

"Depends on what you want," Tsuna intervened.

Tsuna had been holding back for too long. For some reason, it was the implication that Mukuro had wanted something from her that had irked him, rubbed him off the wrong way. Ever since the new guardian's admittance, he had been increasingly overbearing towards her. It might have been the delicate frame of her body when they ran into each other that night, or the way her charisma made her seem as if vulnerable when she had introduced herself to the class.

"You? What I want from _you_ , Tsunayoshi-kun?"

Tsuna gritted his teeth in response. His body. Of course he knew the answer to the rhetorical question, but his body was not something he could give up to Mukuro.

"Well, I _will_ get your body someday. However, there is nothing _you_ could offer me at this instance. No... I want something more from this girl."

The devious man put a finger on his chin, as if he was thinking; although, he already knew damn well what he wanted.

"...the secrets to the power of the night flame," he uttered.

"What?!" Tsuna exclaimed in a surprised fashion.

"Oh-ho~. Tsunayoshi-kun. Your Vongola Intuition must have told you about the Flame she carries."

Tsuna's eyes widened at his Mist Guardian's words. It all connected in his head: why Kokuto would be a good puppet, why Kokuto was so strong, yet had almost no charisma other than her appearance, why Reborn was so eagar to have Kokuto join his famiglia, and especially why she said she didn't have a home.

"Kokuto... You're from Vindice, aren't you..." Tsunayoshi whispered.

Whatever light was in Kokuto's eyes had completely vanished. They were dead.

"Yes. I am a daughter of the Vindice."

* * *

 **CLIFFY!**

 **HAHA I'm such a dick. Anyways, I hope you enjoyed... and stuff. I might be back for another chapter soon, but I'm a little short on time, so yeah.**


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